I had wrong idea about James Tavernier before I managed Rangers but let me tell you something about him – Barry Ferguson

The legendary captain and final season’s interim gaffer shared his ideas on the skipper who is commonly a lot-maligned

06:00, 20 Mar 2026

People get the wrong idea about James Tavernier. And, arms up, I was in all probability certainly one of them.

It wasn’t till I went into the Rangers dugout final season that I bought to know the man as an individual and as knowledgeable. To be completely trustworthy, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate despite the fact that I had a variety of respect for him as a participant.

But, over the course of the three months we labored collectively, I bought to see a facet of him that only a few others ever do. And I actually can’t converse extremely sufficient of the man and all the pieces he stands for.

Trust me on this one, Tav is the consummate skilled and, regardless of what anybody else on the market might imagine, he lives and breathes Rangers Football Club in very a lot the identical means that I all the time have.

That’s why I understand how a lot he’ll be hurting each time his identify is just not on Danny Rohl’s staff sheet, now that this season is reaching such an important stage. But it received’t change the way in which he goes about his enterprise.

And I would say the very same factor for large John Souttar who was additionally an actual stalwart for me throughout my quick time in cost.

These guys get it. It issues to them. The membership is true underneath their pores and skin.

And I in a short time realised that I might place my full and utter belief in them as a result of I might see they cared as a lot as I did.

Let me tell you something about Tav. He was the primary one into coaching each morning. And when the work was performed for the day and the remainder of the boys have been heading dwelling, he’d return out with a bag of balls to practise his set items.

Soutts? He was a participant whose profession I had adopted carefully since he broke by means of at Dundee United. I all the time rated him extremely.

But he grew into a person when he moved to Hearts and my respect for him grew on the similar time. We’re speaking about a man who got here again from doubtlessly profession ending achilles accidents and I understand how mentally tough that should have been for him.

But I additionally perceive how robust and resilient it has made him.

So, whereas the massive man shall be bitterly disenchanted about dropping out of the beginning XI, he’ll even be bursting a intestine daily on the coaching pitch to point out that he’s able to be referred to as on every time the supervisor wants him.

Put it this fashion, I can assure that neither of them shall be throwing their toys out of the pram or throwing strops across the coaching floor.

One of them is the captain. The different is the vice captain. And their qualities as leaders shall be massively essential even when they’re each caught on the bench extra usually than they’d like.

I even have a sense that Tav and Soutts can have key roles to play on the pitch between now and the top of the season. In reality, I’m completely sure of it.

But, having bought to know them as folks, I’m additionally utterly satisfied that they’ll be giving all the pieces for his or her staff mates and for the membership even after they’re not getting stripped.

They are precisely the type of strong professionals and characters that each supervisor and each good dressing room wants and they’ll perceive they’ve a accountability to knuckle down and do all the pieces they’ll to assist Rangers by means of these final eight video games of a doubtlessly title successful marketing campaign.

It’ll imply the world to each of them in the event that they get their arms on the trophy and clearly, for lots of causes, I’d like to see that occur.

At the identical time, I do should recognise that the blokes who’re difficult them for beginning locations are enjoying a giant half in making Rangers appear like a staff able to going all the way in which this season.

Dujon Sterling and Tav are competing for the correct again slot. And Duj is one other one I’d have beside me within the trenches daily of the week.

I by no means labored with Manny Fernandez or Nasser Djiga but they’re beginning to form a very strong partnership within the centre of defence after taking some time to regulate to life at Rangers within the early a part of the season.

Fernandez all the time carried a risk within the opposition field. His top and aerial skill make him nearly not possible to defend towards. But it’s his enchancment on the different finish of the pitch which has actually caught my eye. He’s shortly turning into a high quality centre half.

And there’s a giant distinction in Djiga too as a result of it appears to me as if he’s realised the necessity to return to fundamentals. He’s not doing issues which are past him – the type of dangerous stuff he was responsible of underneath the earlier supervisor.

He’s protecting issues easy by defending his penalty field. And he appears like a special participant due to it.

I heard Russell Martin on the radio the opposite day and let’s simply say it was an fascinating hear. He clearly has his personal concepts on the way in which he thinks the sport ought to be performed and says he regrets not sticking extra rigidly to these ideas – and that’s superb.

But there’s just one precept that issues for any Rangers supervisor. And that’s discovering a means of successful.

Unfortunately for Russell, he struggled to do this and he did admit that he in all probability let too many massive gamers go away when he took the job final summer season. I agree. But these have been his selections so, whether or not he likes it or not, they’re on him.

For starters, I made no secret of the truth that I would have moved heaven and earth to maintain Vaclav Cerny on the membership. And I additionally struggled to see any sense in letting Cyriel Dessers transfer on as a result of I understand how a lot enjoying for the membership meant to the massive man.

Yes, he could have missed some probabilities but If I’m not mistaken, that was 47 objectives which left the constructing when the 2 of them moved on. And that was all the time going to depart a large gap for any new supervisor to fill. It was apparent. It’s not rocket science.

There was one other participant who actually impressed me throughout my time and that’s why I’m so thrilled for Findlay Curtis getting a Scotland call up earlier this week.

The younger synthetic a courageous determination to go on mortgage to Kilmarnock as a result of he knew he wanted extra sport time for his improvement. He’s Rangers daft so the simpler choice would have been to remain put, be part of the 18 each week, and accept the odd begin or 10 or 20 minutes right here or there.

But he took the bull by the horns by agreeing to enroll in a battle towards relegation and he’s gone on to point out everybody simply what a expertise he’s bought.

Put it this fashion, I absolutely count on Steve Clarke shall be each bit as impressed along with his character as I was so Findlay might have a really massive summer season forward of him.

The similar goes for Tav and Soutts. There’s nothing higher than seeing good issues occur to good folks. So, over the following few weeks, I want them nothing but one of the best.